Fishing in ‘Aristotle’s Lagoon’

Always wanted to know how the local fishermen catch the fish and seafood that you eat in the taverna? One of them, Mitsos Koularas, invites you to join him on his boat as he works in the Gulf of Kalloni. The fishing expeditions start in the remote harbour of Skamnioudi, close to Lisvori and Polichnitos.

Tailor made

It is up to you: join him at night, chasing the fish and laying the nets: early in the morning, collecting the nets and sorting the catch: or during the day, cleaning the nets, collecting seafood, relaxing and swimming. You decide which time and excursion suits you best.

The boat

Mitsos’s fishing boat is 8 meters long. It is a modern ship with cabin, licensed to carry ten guests. There is a sonar fishing computer on board, which checks the depth of the seawater, and helps find the shoals of fish.

The catering

Mitsos will love to serve you some ‘mezes’ on board, accompanied by a glass of ouzo, wine, beer or coffee. The owners of the nearby taverna Meltemi are happy to grill or fry your catch.

About the area

The area of Skamnioudi/Lisvori is famous for the delicious crops which the farmers cultivate in this area: chickpeas, anise (the main flavouring for ouzo), cumin, spring onions, and, of course, olives. In the winter time fishermen with a special licence (like Mitsos) exchange their nets for a diving suit to collect mussels, oysters, scallops and other seafood. The philosopher Aristotle spent a part of his life around the Gulf to analyse the way of reproduction of cuttlefish. That is why the Gulf is also called ‘Aristotle’s Lagoon’.

About Mitsos

Mitsos Koularas was born in 1977 as the son of a farmer who had just returned to his native island from his migration adventure in South Africa. He was raised in Lisvori, and never left. Mitsos has a double job: he is a farmer with 600 olive trees as well as a fisherman/diver. In 2007 he met his wife Sigrid van der Zee, the owner and founder of Pandora Travel. A year after they met their son Nikolas was born.

The price

Pandora Travel is happy to create a tailor made expedition just for you, or for a group of people (a maximum 10 guests are allowed on board). We can also arrange accommodation close to the harbour, if you would like to stay a bit longer or you want to be close by for an early morning trip. The price depends of course on your personal wishes.